UV bad for plants?

[Mount_Prion]

Somebody at my LFS said that a UV Sterilizer on my tank is bad for planted tanks because it removes too much nitrates for the plants to survive.

Having a vague idea of how a sterilizer functions, this makes very little sense to me. If anything, removing some algae from the tank should mean less competition for resources for the plants, no?

Is there some other reason UV sterilizers are bad for plants or no? (My UV runs 24/7 but isn't very strong, it's the built-in one in an aquatop 500.)

Was thinking of just adding this to the UV Sterilizer thread that's up on here (since it's the same type of canister we're talking about) but this seems a bit of a derail.

Thanks!

 

[joe jaskot]

I believe you got some bad advice from your LFS. Many aquarists use UV sterilizers in their planted tanks.

 

[Chizzle]

I believe you got some bad advice from your LFS. Many aquarists use UV sterilizers in their planted tanks.

X2 lots of misconceptions about UV sterilizers.

 

[Jacunaba]

I ran one 24/7 in my 150 planted. Never had an issue and my tank flourished.

 

[Mount_Prion]

Awesome, thanks. I didn't really see how it could be removing nitrates. If anything I'd assume uh, maybe killing microorganisms means more decomposing biology which would up them, if very slightly.

I'm friends with the guy who gave me the advice so I'm gonna go make fun of him.

(It just dawned on me how incredibly nerdy you have to be to actually make fun of somebody about their lack of aquarium UV sterilizer info.)